Automatic safety clutch



`uly 22, 1924. C Y 1,502,358 o. E. s'roKEs AUTOMATIC SAFETY CLUTCH Filed Jan. 4. 1923 Oscar E, Sio/Q66.

@y Mr WM@ Patented July 22, 1924.

STATES remise Partnr OSCAR- E. STOKES, OE STREATOR, ILLINOIS.v

AUTOMATIC SAFETY CLUTCH.

Application filed January 4, 1923. Serial No. 610,734.

are Voperated by an electric motor andis,

for the purpose of avoiding injury to the motor by overloading. Y

While my invention is adapted for use in a wide range of motor driven machines it is particularly adapted for use in motor driven washing machines of the type shown in my application Serial No. 605,759,1iled its inner periphery as at 32 to receive therein December 9,1922.L f L The primary object of the invention isy to provide an improved spring actuated friction clutch. Y

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following speciication, which is directed to the preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the vaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, the novel features ofthe invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is an elevation of the invention having a portion thereof broken away .to more clearly show the underlying portions, `and showing the gear in mesh with a fragmental portion of a gear to be driven by the device.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the driving shaft showing the nonrotatable collar locking pin afHXed thereto. Y

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the male portion of the sleeve clutch. p n y Fig. 4 is an elevation of the 'female portion of the sleeve clutch. Y

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the non-rotatable collar.

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an edge View of one of the rotatable collars kshowing the studs for engaging the driving gear, and Fig. 8 is a side elevation view thereof. Y

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. Reference character 10 indicates the driving shaft having reduced portionll forming shoulder 12 intermediate the ends of the shaft.v Driving shaft 10 also has cut-away portion 13 forming a flat surface adjacent the end thereof to receive a complementary female member in forming a coupling with a motor shaft. Rotatably mounted on the reduced portion 11 of the driving shaft. 10 is driving gear 14 which lies between vcollars 15 and 16 which are ro-V tatably related to the reduced portion 11 of the drivingy shaft 10. Collars 15 and 16 have studs 17 which lie between teeth 18 of the driving gear 14, thus locking the gear 14 to the collars 15 and 16. Collarsl and 1(5,are adapted to have frictional engagement with nonrotatable collar 19 and flange 2O respectively, the liange 2O being formed in tegrally with the female portion 21 ofthe clutch sleeve designated generally by referencecharacter 22. Collar 19 is recessed on,

pin 33 which passes through reduced portion 11 of driving shaft 10 and in alignmentwith shoulder 12 for locking collar 19 against rotation with relation to driving shaft 10 and iiange 20is adapted torotate with female portion 21 of sleeve clutch 22 which' interlocks with they male portion 23 thereof.

The male portion 23 of the sleeve clutch 22 formed ony the inner end of male portion 23 f of the sleeve clutch 22, thus causing the two portions of the sleeve clutchto rotate in unison with the shaftlO.. The female portion 21 of the'sleeveiclutch 22 is adapted to have a limited longitudinal movement ron the reduced portion 11 of drivingshaft 10 for frictionally engaging collar 16 with ange 20 under tension of the expansion spring 29. The helical expansion spring 29 is coiled about sleeve clutch 22. with one of its ends exerting an outward pressure against shoulder 25 formed by the' flange 24 on the male portion 23 of the sleeve clutch 22 with its opposite end exerting an outward pressure against flange 2O of the Vfemale portion 21 of sleeve clutch 22, thus establishing'frictional ,fr-engagement between collar 16 and flange20 and collars 15 and 19 under spring tension. Collars 15 and 16 being interlocked with gear 14 by studs 17 carried the collars and lying between teeth 18 of gear 14 and collar 19 being secured by pin 33 to the reduced portion 11 of driving shaft 10, it will be seen that gear 14; will be frictionally held between collars 19` and 2O soA that it will at Aall times tend to rotate with the shaft, butY affording safety means as when the shaft is directly connected with a motor, and to prevent overloading the VmotorV in starting'the shaft 10 may turn within the gear 1li until such time as the friction of thev describedv clutch parts will be. sufficient to impart normaltrotation tov the. gear 34 of the washing machine and itsl connected operating parts.

In' Fig. 1 of the. drawings:` theJ gear 14 Vis shown as in imesh with gear 34. In assol ciating gearV 14 with a co'acting, gear the length of the .teeth ofthe coacting gearmust be sufficiently shorter than the length of the teeth of gear 14-fto` avoidinterference by the lugs 17 ofthe collars -15.and 16 with the coactinggear.

My improved Vclutch is simple and eco- Inomicalto manufacture-,- is durable and not liable to get out of order, and is highly elficient for the` describedpurposes.V 'l

It is not desired to-be-limited to the details of `construction shown, except as set forth inthe claims, for those skilled in the" art Ymayvresort to various modifications of such details without departing from thepu'rpose and spirit ofmy invention.

VIL

aving :thus Ydescribed my invention., what 1; The combination with a shaft, collarmountedY on the shaft, a pin passing through the shaftand 'securing the:- collar aga-inst] rotation, spaced apart collars rotatably mounted. on; theV shaft, a gear intermediate the rotatable collars, studs carried by the rotatable collars and lying between the teeth of the. gear, a ysleeve clutch com rising coactingportions, Vflanges integra with the sleeve clutch portions, one of the sleeve clutch portions being adapted to have longitudinal'movement on. the shaft, and a spring suppgortedb'y the sleeve .clutch and adapted to force one of the flanges into engagementl with one ofthe zoollars.

2. The combination witha shaft, a colla-rafliired to the'shaft, spaced apart collars ro-` tatably Inounted'on the shaft, a gear inter-Y mediatethe rotatable coll-ars, studsf'carried by therotatable collars and" lying' betweentheteeth ofthe gear, a sleeve clutch com-A prisingtcoacting portions,A flanges integral with'they sleeve clutch portions, one .of the.

sleeve clutch portions being adaptedl to have longitudinal i movement on the shaft, and the other of the portions being affixed to the 1 shaft, anda spring supported by the-sleeve clutch andV adapted` to force one of theV flanges intoengagement with vone of the collars.

interposed between the flanges and adapted to force one of the flanges into engagement with one ofthe collars'. Y

t. The combination vwith a shaft, a collar aflixed to the shaft, spaced apartY collarsl rotatably mounted on the shaft, a; geariutermediate thelrotatable collars, studs carried by the rotatable-collars and lying'between the teeth of'thegear, a sleeve" olutchacomprising coacting portions,-l oney of the poii`4 tions being aiiiXed to the: shaft, flanges'integral with Vthe;v sleeve clutch portions," oneof the ysleeve clutch portions being Y adapte'd' to have longitudinal lmovemen-ton the shaft, and ga spring 1 supported yby thel sleeve fclutch' and adapted to force one of the'flanges .into

engagement with one.- of, the .collarsiA 5. The combination, withfa shaft,- a'collar afliXed to the shaft, spaced apartfcollars, ro' tatably mounted. onfthe' shaft,af gear intermediate the rotatableV collars, studs; carried' by the Y rotatable collars and lying.:l betweenthe.Y teeth :ofthe gear, asleeve clutch com-' priisinglv coast-ing portions,y a pin passing:

through oneV of theportions andl the shaft,

flanges integral with fthe sleeve clutchLI "portions, one `of the sleeve clutch*portions"-bel'v ing adaptedto -have'lon'gitudinal movement of the-shaft, anda spring supported bythesleeve clutch andadapted to force-one-of the flanges intoengagement with on'ef'of'they collars. I

6. The combination with 'avshaftQafcolv lar affixed `to-the shaft,- spacedfapart col-lars rotatably-'mountedon thel'shaft, afgear in# termediate the rotatable collars, studs-carl riedby the-rotatable collarsand lyingybetween the teeth of the gear, ai sleeve clutchf:

comprisingl coacting portions, a-pin passing through one of the portions-andtheshafal flanges integral with the sleeverclutch portions, one of the sleeve clutch portionsfbe ing adapted to have longitudinal Vmovement of the shaft, aspringsupported -by the sleeve clutch withE its respective'ends contacting with Vthe respective `flanges Y andl adapted to-f forceV one of the flanges into engagement with one ofthe collars.,-

7. The' combination with ashaft,a-'collar aflixed to the shaft, spaced Aapart collars' ro' tatablymounted on theI shaft, agea'r inter mediate the rotatable collars, studs carried?v by the rotatable collars and-'lyingfbetwe'en-f the teeth of the gear, a sleeve' clutch' comprising coacting portions, a pin passing through one of the portions and the shaft, flanges integral with the sleeve clutch portions, one of the sleeve clutch portions being adapted to have longitudinal movement of the shaft, a spring supported 'by the sleeve clutch with its respective ends contacting with the respective flanges and adapted to force one of the flanges away from the other.

8. The combination with a shaft having a reduced portion intermediate its ends, a shoulder formed by the reduced portion, a collar aflixed to the shaft and contacting with the shoulder, spaced apart collars rotatably mounted on the shaft, a gear intermediate the rotatable collars, studs carried by the rotatable collars and lying between the teeth of the gear, a sleeve clutch comprising coacting portions, flanges integral With the sleeve clutch portions, one of the sleeve clutch portions being adapted to have longitudinal movement on the shaft, and a spring supported by the sleeve clutch and adapted to force one of the flanges into en gagement with one of the collars. a

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 30th day of December, A. D. 1922.

OSCAR E. STOKES. 

